Now My Feet Won't Touch the Ground
by pixeletter
Summary: Contrary to the popular belief, Levi has a heart amongst other things. Eventual Levi/Eren. Platonic Eren/Erwin.
1. One: God Put a Smile upon Your Face

So my first SNK story. (my first story published too!) Be kind :) I should probably say that this didn't get beta'd or anything and that English isn't my native language. I'd like to think that my grammar is so-so but yeah, feel free to point out any mistakes so I can correct them. And yes, I really like Coldplay, hence the titles! ;)

Disclaimer: It's not a good idea to give SNK to me, so _don't_._  
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"Love is always patient and kind. It is never jealous. Love is never boastful or conceited. It is never rude or selfish. It does not take offense and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people's sins, but delights in the truth. It is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes." ― Anonymous, The New Jerusalem Bible

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It isn't the best day to hunt, but jobs are scarce. Maybe it's because of how world politics work right now, or how global warming is beginning to sound more like The Impending Doom rather than the ridiculous theory we all laugh at by an apocalypse-driven madman. Or maybe, people nowadays are just too busy paying attention to those that really shouldn't have mattered. Like Halloween. What would anyone get out of it aside from unhealthy as hell candy bars and sore feet? Predictably, not many people are insensitive enough to confess their love during The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed. No wonder the Deceased Department* is busy.

So it's a really slow day at work. No Love, No Job. The Survey Corp's motto.

"Levi?"

The costumes are the worst part. Levi feels obliged to shudder whenever he spots someone carrying a bow and quiver, completed with white wings and blonde wig. He doesn't even know how to draw an arrow let alone shoot it; he's not even blonde for that matter. Well, they have blondes every now and then but it's not that common.

"Oi, Levi."

Levi produced a bored sigh as he's perched on the edge of a skyscraper, his eyes never leaving the endless stream of people crossing roads below him.

"Levi!"

It's not as much fun as it was the first time he hunted for Variable subjects for their so-called marriage experiments. At least that's what Hanji Zoe calls it. _Marriage_. He'd decided a long time ago (like really long time ago) that it's just a half-baked definition for the procedure they follow in helping people find their other halves, shove them together in front of an altar and just get done with it.

Levi's job would have been far easier if people just fall in love with the first non-familial person they see next to them. But then he remembered that if that should really happen, he'd be out of job before he can even say Fuc-, and poof, he's gone.

"Oh for god's sake, Rivaille!"

If Levi is surprised he doesn't show it on his face. He frowns instead, "What the hell, Zoe?"

"And the Kraken awakens!" Hanji looks smug instead, like his frown makes her happy. Levi knows that it does. His scowl deepens.

"Aww Levi, don't be so disappointed!" Zoe quipped, sickeningly happy because oh-my-god-it's-halloween-Levi-Ha-llo-ween! "It's only happens once a year anyway!"

"Eyes on the human species, Zoe." Levi tells her, ignoring her previous words. "Not on the candy."

Hanji laughs, seemingly amused. But then again, she's always amused about something. About everything. It's hard to tell sometimes. "Would it hurt to at least pretend that you like your job, cupid?" She asks dryly, already used to Levi's indifference. Levi's eyebrow twitched at the nickname. He hates that nickname.

"Yes, it would actually." He says, almost automatic. "Very much so."

There is a snort coming from Hanji's direction but Levi refused to look at her. It's almost sundown and they've only managed to spot two pairs of marriage Variables and sealed off their fates: together forever, until Death do them part. Well at least the Christians have managed to get that part right.

"Can we leave now?" He asks, finally standing up from where he's watching the crowd. He feels blood flow again on his legs and used that as comfort against the biting winter air. "I doubt there would be more pairs."

Hanji shrugs, also standing up. "I dunno. You're the boss. It's not my call to make."

"Then call Smith, it is his call to make."

"Erwin is away. You know that!"

If possible Levi's frown deepens even more. "That shit doesn't deserve any vacation. Why is he doing this?"

Hanji laughs out loud and Levi bets it's because of the look in his face. "He can deserve it if he wants to, besides Pixis approved it. You're the second in command. Do we leave or not, it is really your call now to make."

"Then call Pixis." He snaps.

"Like hell I would do that. He doesn't like me!"

"You switched Jean and Marco's partners." He reminds her, he at the very least holds this much power over her, she is his sort of friend and he is her superior but sometimes Hanji is just... Hanji. "To put it mildly, Pixis finds you... troublesome."

The Jean-Marco Incident, as the Special Corps are fond to call it, is like everyone's leverage against Hanji. It never fails to get her riled up if properly used.

Hanji visibly stiffens at the mention of it and says warily, "In my defense, Jean and Marco are the cutest couple ever, Levi. You can't hold that against me!" That probably makes sense inside her head.

"You switched their partners." Levi had simply repeated, slowly this time. "Now they don't get to meet their original Variables and you forced them together instead.

"But it's an experiment!" She defends. "I did not force anyone! It's the Power of Love, alright. And it worked. Look how happy they are now!"

Levi gives her the I_-don't-know-how-you-got-away-from-that-so-I-am-very-pissed-with-you-right-now-look_. "We don't pair people up just because they look cute together." Levi explains to her, like this isn't the first time they are talking about it. "It doesn't work that way. We have a list. We have rules."

Hanji is about to say another excuse when a stupid grin made its way through her self-assured face. "And here I thought you hate your job." She sing songs.

"Don't make this about me, Zoe."

"Whatever, sir. So are we going back or not?" And Levi knows that the subject is dropped. No one can convince Hanji that what she did is wrong anyway. Not when it did produce a good result. But her unconventional 'match-making' skills tends to be a little risky. This is why Commander Pixis is still rather adamant on letting her resume her duties without supervision. Hence, Levi who is now stuck with said rule-breaker.

Levi thinks for a while. The merit of leaving early (it's only 6-something, night shift starts at 8) certainly is tempting but after lecturing Hanji about obeying the rules, it would be hypocritical to do otherwise.

"No, might as well finish our shift." He says finally and Hanji groans. She's almost ready to suggest calling the commander herself when they both feel the familiar call of a red aura surrounding a beating heart, almost ready burst with emotions.

They exchange looks and nod, professionalism snapping fast into place. Levi is the first one to drop from the building and run straight to the location of the call while Hanji looks for, metaphorically speaking, the other half of that person's heart.

The human-race dubbed them Cupids, little cherubs dressed in diapers with cute little arrows and bows. The Greeks are the one to blame for most of that. They go way back.

It's probably because of that little drunk prank Pixis pulled off on the Greeks which involved wings and bows and arrows and babies and were under the impression that the humans can't see them. Cleary, they have learned their lesson and now try to co-exists with them like normal humans beings.

To be honest, they don't have a name for themselves until recently: The Survey Corps. Probably because part of their job is to observe the human race or something. It's just one of those things that happen. Their main objective is to make two fated people meet under any circumstances and secure a life-long bond.

It's quite romantic, actually.

It's like watching out for a shooting star that only passes earth's orbit once. This moment is unique and only happens once between two people at the same time. And in that specific period, the Variables must meet. It's probably the closest thing people have to touching destiny and love (the nonsense renaissance poets write out).

Problem is, those two destined people don't usually meet when the right time comes, not in a world this big with six billion people inhabiting it. This is where the Survey Corps come in. They plan how you guys would end up, sometimes they change little things in your life (causes you to miss a bus, scrape a knee, be late for a minute) so you can meet this person in this certain time.

It can happen right away though. After they were born. Or while playing in a park, or while passing through a busy crowd in the middle of the city.

Like what's about to happen now

Levi stretched his vision and while he trusts Hanji to always be experiment crazy officer she is, he knows she will not fuck up when it comes to her job (except that one time*).

He can feel it now, much stronger than anything else he'd felt before and that comes out as a surprise since Levi has been here for a long time and never did he sensed the surge of emotions he can grasps in his senses now. If he lets it, he will drown. That's how close his kind are to human's emotions. They look at them like open books with letters so big they can read it meters away.

But this? T_his is quite extraordinary,_ Levi thinks, _he's probably a type A, top of the emotional food chain._ It makes him wonder who this person's pair is. Would she be lucky? Or the opposite? Such devotion can be overwhelming sometimes and he'd seen people who are originally matched break apart because of it.

Levi can almost hear his thoughts now, _"God, the older I get, the less people I trust. I shouldn't have-"_

It cuts off every now and then like a broken radio and Levi has to think what this guy mouthing about is instead of focusing on his aura which is frankly too much for him to handle but he's never going to admit that to anyone ever. As far as he's concerned humans are inferior to them. Sort of.

He should feel traces of Love from the Variables because that's what he's made to find, but it's not Love he can feel from this boy though, that's not the enormous emotion he felt earlier, it is something much darker... but naive. There's a touch of innocence, the will to protect and... oh, what's that? Blood thirst? Really now, before his shift ends and he gets a revengeful brat with unhealthy problems (based from his thoughts) and has a personal vendetta. A+ package.

Levi almost turns around. He hates complicated things, those are not clean jobs which involves getting affected by the human's emotion on a personal level and unfortunately, telepathic powers doesn't have an on and off switch for his convenience. It's convenient most of the time, just not right now... especially not right now Levi thinks sullenly. This kid... is way too loud. It's annoying. He's got his hands full already with Erwin on a goddamn vacation in the Caribbean and Pixis drunk as fuck most of the time. And the paper works. Oh the glorious paper works that he wants to burn, preferably with Erwin.

Emotional overload is not in the job description, he thinks as a tear escapes from his eye. That memory this kid has with his mother, Eren, he finds out his name, is so beautiful and she's dying. Contrary to the popular belief, Levi has a heart amongst other things.

He walks across the road, joining the crowd when green lights up. He can see the back of the boy now, though he remains hidden behinf men in suits and teens carrying skateboards ahead of him. Dark brown mop of hair, taller than him, broad shoulders and a slightly tanned complexion. His shoulders are hunched down like he's carrying the weight of the world. That's beginning to be a common trait in this era.

_'Zoe, I hate this job. I hate this kid. I hate everyone.'_ He thinks because Hanji can hear him too.

_'Hear, hear. I know, well I hate to add another thing to your gigantic pile of problems,'_ Levi scoffs,_ 'but the other half will die.'_

Levi stops on his tracks, not realizing that he's in the middle of the crossroads now with the rushing crowd of people and children bustling around him. He stops so abruptly that some lady in heels sneers at him and walks past Levi.

"What the fuck?" He says, then within just a few seconds, there's a loud crash ahead, metals and glasses breaking with sickening crisp. The crowd gasp, muttering non-stop and rushed to the source of the crash, phones flashing with their cameras on.

_Looks like a car accident. H_e overheard though he can all hear what they are thinking. O_h my god she's just a child quick call an ambu- I think she's dea- I saw her flew a few met- shit-_

Levi filtered them off, unlike emotions these are only casually intrigued thoughts, and he can brush them off if he likes. Then he remembered what Hanji said before the crash was heard.

There is a moment of silence.

"What the fuck?" He says again, he doubts people would pay attention, what with the car accident ahead. He lost sight of the boy, (Eren, he's Eren) doesn't matter now his partner's dead.

_'I'm guessing you heard the crash?'_ He hears Hanji says in his head. _'That's her. I think someone from the Deceased Department forgot to pass on the memo...'_

Levi swears. _'No shit, Sherlock. Someone clearly did **not** passed on the memo and I want them in my office first thing when we get back. Understood?'_ He snaps before his subordinate can reply and cuts the communication short. He forgets about the boy- it's Eren- and is too busy glaring at the Petra from D.D. (Deceased Dept.) to even be bothered to remember.

One week later though, he will receive a note from Dot Pixis regarding this seemingly normal encounter.

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***** See Glossary, item 2

***** The Jean-Marco Incident

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Glossary:

**Variable**: Destined pair of people

**D.D.**: Deceased Department (So if Levi and Hanji are part of the Survey Corps who gets people together, this is the department that manages or schedules the death of people, like Grim Reapers without the actual reaping cause that's another department, and whose responsibility is to inform the Survey Corps if one of the people in a pair would die before they meet their partners. Because that would make sense.)

**No Love, No Job**: I like this motto. I swear I just have to make a** poster** for this: check my profile. Can't link anything in here ;_;

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R&R!


	2. Two: A Rush of Blood to the Head

Hi guys! Thank you to those who left faves, reviews and follows. I appreciate them a lot, you guys rock :D

Heads up, this is an Eren-centric chapter. A bit of angst here and there, yeah? I hope this won't bore you out haha! Just so you guys will know what exactly Eren's issues are. (Yeah, what's your problem man!) This is to build up the main plot, I guess.

And I might have indulged myself with too much Erwin/Erin. I'd like to apologize for that, but it is all completely platonic. I see them more as brothers, if not a bit affectionate, don't ask me why. Please don't get mad, these characters need more love because the canon story makes them so miserable :( Don't worry though, there will be Levi/Eren soon. I'm also quite excited for that. This unbeta'd too, so feel free to point out the mistakes :D As usual, thanks!

Disclaimer: When I get famous, I'll get the rights. I'm working on it.

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_italicized - _flashbacks

regular - current story

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Eren works hard everyday in his family's company, even if he really doesn't have to. He likes to think these are compliments, and plasters a practiced smile on his face whenever someone says "Yeager, you try too hard" . In an attempt to make small talk, they will ask how his mother's health is. When he says she's doing great, he wants to believe in his words too.

People are subtle but they never failed to successfully hide their disappointed faces after hearing that his mother still lives. Eren is used to people being indirect like that. At least they are trying to be delicate.

So when a certain Kitts Woerman, one of Wall Maria's board members, harshly stated out everyone's disappointment (with his annoyingly plummy voice) to just take off the damn life support because she isn't getting better brat, Eren wasn't able to stop the punch that landed on the old man's face. Kitts was knocked cold and was dragged out of the facility for medical assistance. No one dared to bring up the subject after that. Eren felt immense satisfactory and pointedly ignored Mikasa's disapproving stare throughout the whole meeting.

"You'll lead them now," He hears Mikasa after everyone else has filtered out of the room. Armin remains seated, watching the exchange with wary eyes. "I know this is hard for you too, but can you at least try?"

"Eren." Mikasa starts again. "Punching one of your board members isn't reall—"

"I want a frappe." Eren cuts out randomly, loosening up his tie and unbuttoning two buttons of his dress shirt. "The one with copious amount of whipped cream and enough sugar to give me type 2 diabetes. And peppermint sprinkles on top. And cinnamon. They have cinnamon sprinkles too, right?"

He hears Mikasa sigh that exasperated sigh of hers that's reserved for whenever he is being unreasonably stubborn. Eren knows he had won when his adoptive sister threw Armin an inquisitive look and Armin just shrugged, gathering up his things before walking out of the room, probably to ready the car or something. Armin is always so perceptive and Eren wonders why he didn't hire him as his secretary instead.

"I know what you're thinking, Eren." Mikasa retorts, "It's a **no.** I won't let you bully Armin into doing whatever you want."

"I hate you so much right now."

There's a glint of amusement in Mikasa's eyes when she says "No, you really don't."

Eren couldn't agree more.

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They arrived at Café Roselia in the afternoon. Though born within the upper society, Eren never felt indifferent towards the general public, in fact he feels much at home when he's surrounded by average people rather than when he's with those who has the same upbringing as him. He believes in equality and perhaps, you might call him an idealist for believing so.

Well of course, he didn't always think like this. He wasn't constantly optimistic. Eren had his moments when he thought everyone else were stupid too. He's had hobbies that bought her mom to tears and had friends from dark places a normal teenager shouldn't even know about.

He was sixteen and it had been pure coincidence, perhaps, that on the day his car broke down (he stole the keys), Eren discovered the café-slash-music store. There was a huge window displaying its homely interiors and the seats looked very soft. There weren't many people too, if the lack of staff moving inside was any indication. From the car, he could see the flash of an old television perched on the counter and wondered if they were watching the news. He hoped otherwise since he'd heard too many news anchors dissecting his father's death, enough to make his ears bleed in frustration.

He'd thought of staying on the car until Mikasa finds him (she always does) but the thought of warm seats and hot chocolate stood out at the back of his mind like a sore thumb. The pouring rain didn't help either. Grudgingly, he locked the car and dragged himself inside the café, a trail of water following his every steps. A guy with a name tag "Erwin" greets him warmly, and maybe there was something on his face back then that made the guy turn off the telly and quietly asked if he wants something warm to drink. Eren couldn't have been more thankful for the solitude.

Two years later, he still comes back at least twice a week. Café Roselia was always empty in the afternoons. By then, the crowd from lunch would have fizzled out, and one of the waitress, Sasha, would offer him a cheerful "Oh, hey there, Eren!" as he goes to his regular seat.

The welcoming scent of freshly brewed coffee wafts through the air as Mikasa opens the door before him. "Mikasa! Eren! Armin!" Came the quick greeting. Predictably, it was Sasha, with a suspicious lump (of bread) on her apron's pocket while Connie looks like he's in the middle of telling Sasha off, waving a broom over his head.

"Mr. Yeagar!" Connie greets. "Welcome, sir!" Eren mentally winces at the formality. Connie was hired a few months back and the first time he sees Eren, he was wearing his usual D&G three piece suit and although he had requested to be dropped off a few blocks away from Roselia to avoid unnecessary attention, it was still a honest-to-god Lamborghini that Connie saw while he was wiping the tables outside.

"Please, just call me Eren, Connie."

Connie makes that noise that Sasha finds so hilarious, like he's a hamster being sucked in a drain. As usual Connie looks mortified by the very idea of calling Eren casually, and shakes his head, "No, I mean, with all due respect, sir. I couldn't do that. I mean, you're like this important person and—" He's blabbing now but Eren isn't annoyed in the slightest, if anything, he actually finds it mildly amusing. "It's fine, Connie." He says and he hears Sasha laughing heartily in the background.

Mikasa talks to Sasha for a while, occasionally glancing at Eren's direction. Armin heads for their table, followed by the young CEO. He casually removes his coat and rests it on the back of his seat. He fights off a grin as he turns at his friend. As usual, Armin feigns indifference and settles to looking resigned.

"Is there something wrong with my face?" Armin asks him politely.

Eren shakes his head. "No, nothing." Then his grin widens.

Armin's first impression of the café was actually rather disappointing. It was old and unpopular. Eren knows though that his friend secretly likes the vinyl record collection of the café and that's why he keeps coming back with them.

The place had character and the food is bloody fantastic; it keeps reminding them of summer vacations in Shinganshina, which didn't come as a surprise since Erwin, the owner of the café, had turned out to be from the said province. Mikasa was the one to tell this to him, like she did a background check the moment she discovered that Eren keeps coming back to the said place. She most likely did. For protection, she had said, when he asked her why.

The bell attached to the door rings the moment it opens. Since Eren is facing the entrance, he saw Erwin come in and waves a hand. The older man spots him and smiles in return before going to the kitchen.

Their drinks were served by Ymir, a dark skinned lady who at first seems cynical and bossy but has a soft spot for the sweet girl at the cash register, Krista. Hot chocolate with whipped cream for Eren, Cappucino for Mikasa, and Green Tea Latte for Armin.

Mikasa joins them afterwards, sipping her cappuccino with grace. Sometimes it bothers Eren how she can do almost anything and always make it look like a magazine photoshoot.

There is a comfortable silence for a while saved for the hushed argument between Sasha and Connie from the entrance and the flipping of book from the man seating near the window.

"So…Eren." Armin starts when it looks like no one is going to mention the elephant in the room. "You knocked out a board member. During a board meeting."

There is more silence before the three of them burst out laughing.

"Oh my god, did you see the look on his face before he lost consciousness?" Eren wheezes out. "His face is all bones but it's worth the pain when he hit the floor."

"Eren!" Mikasa tries to remain serious. "It's not funny. You're going to be the CEO. You can't punch board members."

"He _is_ the CEO." Armin lobs back. "Of course he can."

"Quit spoiling him." Mikasa chided.

"Me? Spoiled?" Eren asks, all innocence. "Never."

Then Erwin appears out of nowhere, popping up behind Eren looking like someone's cat just died. He's a dog person.

"Someone bothering you at the office, Eren?" he asks.

Eren just tips his head to Erwin, with a smile that makes Mikasa feel uncomfortable.

"Nah, I took care of it." Eren says, thoroughly amused. "But thanks for asking."

"_Natürlich. Kein problem, Bruder.*_" says Erwin in his native language, his accent melting on his tongue, slowly and sure. He then proceeds to ruffle Eren's hair.

"I think I'm gonna throw up." Armin tells them, "Get a room, you two."

Eren gasps at him theatrically. "How could you, Erwin is like a brother to me!"

"Yeah, cause I'm like a brother to you too but I never ruffle your hair or talk to you with a weird language and looks at you like you're the personification of all my dreams." Armin retorts back, looking offended. He has nothing against homosexuality, but he has known Eren and Erwin for two years and they are like family, however dysfunctional they may be. It's like watching your parents flirt with each other. You won't ever get used to it.

But Eren just chuckles and replies "Aww, Armin, I don't know you feel that way."

Armin gawks, "I don't!"

"See, Eren? This is why I don't what him to be your secretary, you bully him." Mikasa tells them unhelpfully.

"He doesn't!" says the affronted blonde.

Erwin laughs at them like hasn't laugh for a long time. "Ah it is nice to be young."

"You're not much older than us alright." Eren sighs, genuinely dismayed. "Anyway, Erwin, can we… uhm talk?" He shoots Mikasa and Armin a look. "In private, perhaps?"

Mikasa raises a brow. "Only if you stay not 20 meters away from us. No funny business, Eren."

"Oh, well then, if you're fine with my office." Erwin suggested.

Eren doesn't need any more prompting than that and obediently follows Erwin to the back of the Café. Ymir shoots them a look but didn't say anything as they walked pass her.

Erwin's office is creepily organized, not because it's so clean but because it doesn't really looked used, or lived in. It is a nicely furnished room, yes, but unlike the rest of the café that screams coziness and home, his office has nothing. Erwin is a fairly likable guy so he wonders why this room looks so void. Erwin gets jokes, makes small talks and can read the atmosphere. He is astonishingly ordinary, for the lack of a better word. The only trait he has than can be considered adverse is probably the way he seems to know everything about everyone. He's too in-control sometimes, too involved.

That's probably the main reason why Eren opened up to him two years ago, like an angst-filled car stealing teenager on a cold Saturday night.

_Karla Yeager is the wife of the late Grisha Yeagar, founder of the business giant TITAN CORP.. The company is divided into three divisions, or Walls, as their employees are fond to call it: Maria, Rose and Sina. From general necessities to advanced technology, Titan Corp. covers most of the products available in the market and has an unblemished reputation until the death of Mr. Yeager._

_When her husband died so suddenly, Karla became the acting CEO until their only biological child and heir comes of age._

_Eren was sixteen years old back then. He didn't quite understand the severity of what happened and how this affects his future. He just knows that his dad will be gone for a very long time. Grisha told him so._

_Through media, the cause of his death was announced as heart failure, people know that he was sick anyway so this unfortunate event hardly became a subject of speculation— but truthfully, the case is still undisclosed. Grisha Yeager is missing._

Erwin offered him a seat before sitting himself. It oddly feels like an interrogation or when your teachers calls you for recitation and you don't know what to say.

"So, it is your father again, isn't it?" Erwin starts, eyes focused on Eren's.

He nods. "Yeah, well, he didn't contact me personally this time. Kitts Woeman delivered the message." He says then, "Clearly, he wants me to take off mom's life support. I replied with a punch. It's rather fitting, I think. I couldn't exactly write Fuck You Love, Your Son on Woeman's face, could I?"

_Only Karla, Eren and a few selected people know what really happened to him but even that information is limited. "It was during a medical experiment," the doctors said, "Mr. Yeager insisted on testing the medicine on human subjects already. We know it's dangerous. And there are no willing test subjects. It was still too risky so we advised postponing the research. He didn't listen. Mr. Yeager is a stubborn man when it comes to his family."_

"I don't really understand. He wants to save mom, but he used mom as… as his human experiment. He could have used me you know, he could have used anyone but I don't think mom would have allowed it.

"Mom loved that man, it is so stupid. Right after the testing, Da-, that man, disappeared. We didn't know what he discovered after the test. The side effects didn't manifests after a year so we thought it didn't work, that or perhaps, Grisha was just paranoid, that maybe the cure even worked you know. It was too good to be true."

_When the topic is tackled by outsiders, Karla Yaegar would always find a way to avoid talking about it. Most people respected her decision until Eren's seventeenth birthday._

"He knows mom is dying back then and I think he is desperate to save her even if mom doesn't want to be saved. It's Leukemia. Mom stopped responding to the treatments when I was sixteen." Eren continues, voice dead with emotions. "Mom accepted her disease, and that is fine, I mean, she doesn't regret anything in her life, she told me this. She wants us to be happy, so she enjoys her remaining time as much as possible. The least we could do is be happy with her too."

_Mrs. Yeager's sickness had brought a rather violent reaction to the board because Eren is not yet of legal age and if Karla is to die before her son turns eighteen, this almost means the downfall of the said giant corporation. Of course there are candidates, but Karla refuses to sign the papers even if her health worsens. She doesn't trust anyone. "Just one more year," she reasons. "I can do this for one more year."_

_Just until Eren is ready._

_Eren loves his mother so much, everyone knows this. He's doing all of this for her. But sometimes, the pressure becomes too suffocating. The moment he turned eighteen, it's like everything he dreads happened all at once. He'd have to quit school. Karla's body took its toll and not even the doctors know when she will ever wake up. Whatever Grisha did to her, it is preventing her from dying. Which should have been a good thing, if only Karla wakes up._

_Her body rejects any form of medicines, Grisha's experiment kept her heart beating. Doctors would eventually find implanted foreign microorganisms in there, but she wasn't even alive anymore, not in spirit at least. And because that is him mom right there, and what the hell should he do? He's eighteen for crying out loud; Eren doesn't want to take out the life support. Or maybe Eren just wants to spite his father._

_Grisha wants to end it, he'd made his intentions known, but why? Even if they take it away, it doesn't guarantee anything. Would his mom be at peace now? Because no one knows what the fuck Grisha did to her._

_Eren had read the medical reports enough to know that by the time he turned seventeen, Karla should have died already._

"Perhaps, your father wants to hide something." Erwin tells him. It must be pretty obvious that that thought repels Eren because Erwin immediately supplies, "Or maybe he really just wants your mom to be at peace."

"You're kidding me." he says flatly. "He doesn't have the right anymore." Eren hisses, "Hasn't he done enough?"

_The moment Karla's body gave away, the responsibility of CEO was shoved to him, no one even stopped to ask if he's ready for this._

_If Eren even wants it._

_Most people assumes that he's lucky to have his life all planned out already but he doesn't feel fortunate at all, nothing is liberating anymore. If Mikasa and Armin weren't there during his darkest moments, he might have seriously considered swallowing all of those morphine pills months ago. It was a stupid thought. Mikasa didn't talk to him for days after that and Armin couldn't look at him directly in the eye._

_"Don't you dare, Eren." She had told him, "don't you fucking dare."_

_Then, "I can't lose you too."_

"Thanks for listening, Erwin." Eren tells him, eventually, after what seem like a long time just sitting there, staring at the back of his hand. "I mean it. This means a lot to me."

Erwin remembers the first time he'd seen this boy, walking in to his coffee shop like someone just died. Later he'd find out that someone sort of did and felt an immense sense of protectiveness, deep enough to offer him free cocoa and listen to the story of his life.

He might be on vacation now from the Survey Corps but it doesn't mean that he will love the human race any less.

"I know my services are cheaper than most psychiatrists." He says lightly and smiles when Eren snorts.

"I'd buy you a cup of coffee if you want", offers Eren.

"You offend me. I run a café." Erwin deadpans.

"Beer then?"

"I don't like alcohol."

"Then what? Anything I can give, it's yours."

Erwin settles into his desk chair and favors Eren with a flat unimpressed stare.

"_Ich möchte nur, dass du mehr Lächeln.*_"

* * *

"So what did you guys talk about? You were there for a while." Mikasa starts when Eren returns to his seat, Erwin, thankfully, not with him.

"Oh just some stuff."

Mikasa remains unconvinced. "Stuff?"

"Boys stuff?" Eren tries.

Armin scowls at him. "If I ever, ever spot a hickey on you, I swear I'd personally wrap your neck with the ugliest scarf I could find."

Frowning, Eren asks "Why are you so convinced that we are like _that_? Are you jealous? 'Cause you sound like your jealous."

"I can't believe you are asking me that question."

Eren asks "I swear, you are so snappy today. What the hell happened?"

Mikasa and Armin levels him a look. It is his sister who breaks the silence.

"We know about Grisha, okay? We're just upset that you didn't tell us about it."

"And we think... Erwin knows."

That tiny wrench in Eren's stomach definitely isn't guilt, but he says, "What? Who told you about that?"

"You'd be pleased to know that no one did." Mikasa replies, "Armin found the texts, the voice mails. Eren, we are worried about you. You can tell us this things. We are family, aren't we?" asks Mikasa, reasonably.

Eren stares at the table, at his arms folded underneath. He looks around the room, at Sasha who laughing at the counter, and at the guy reading a book by the window.

"Does that mean you can invade my privacy?" He asks, suddenly bitter.

Armin visibly twitches at the accusation but remains unperturbed.

"Eren, that's not the point. The point is that you can't ju—"

"Bullshit." He returns. "You talk to me about trust but your actions proves otherwise."

"Eren..."

"I can't deal with this." Eren starts to grab his jacket and stood up, clearly intent on leaving. "I will tell it to you guys, eventually, you know. But right now, I just… I need to be alone." And storms out of the café, ignoring Connie's voice and Sasha's questioning stare.

Eren just feels so mad at the world right now. Mikasa's always treating him like a child and Armin, who he relies on more than anything to always be on his side deceives him. He always thinks it will be easier if he doesn't tell anyone about Grisha and he's always wrong. He feels awful, nevertheless. It's always like every day he have to keep on smiling at people, talking as if everything were normal and okay, while all the time he feels like carrying a loaded weight of unhappiness inside of him.

To be fair, he knows Mikasa and Armin are trying to help. It just happens that right now, Eren is at his most vulnerable state, he bruises easily, tear faster, cry quicker and remember longer.

"God, the older I get, the less people I trust. I shouldn't have— "

Eren almost misses the sound of the crunching of metal, the tinkling of glass as it shatters if the people around him hadn't stop moving. There was a car accident right in front of him and it pulled him right out of his thoughts as people started rush passed him to get a better view. And because it's going to be another day before he stops being furious about Mikasa and Armin, he decides to be in his pettiest behavior and calls Erwin instead to say that "Hey, can I crash at your place tonight?"

* * *

Translations (thanks google):

**Natürlich. Kein problem, Bruder****:** Of course. No problem, brother.

**Ich möchte nur, dass du mehr Lächeln:** I just want you to smile more.

* * *

**A/N:** I assumed Eren can speak German in here. German sounds sorta sexy :) R&R!


	3. Three: Viva La Vida

Disclaimer: Many characters wouldn't have to die if I own it.

* * *

One would think that being a part of something that can be considered as supernatural would guarantee said individuals to believe in miracles. While it certainly takes a miracle for Levi to believe in that, it is more or less a miracle (too) that made Levi tone down his cursing as he speaks with their Commander, Dot Pixis. Although he looks and smells like a drunken old man most of the time, his mind remains sharp and rational. He looks at you with volume and the mirth in his eyes is worrying, like he knows your biggest secret and that is enough to make anyone feel uncomfortable.

Levi levels the old man's stare with a hopefully unreadable expression. He is not scared of him, he actually respects the man when he isn't acting like a loony, but Pixis can be very cunning too. He could announce that your entire family's been eaten alive by a monster with a perfectly amused expression if there's a promise of a good drink at the end. He isn't cruel but practical. Erwin is like that too, so Levi remains wary of the both of them.

"Commander Pixis." Levi salutes. He was summoned a week after he'd given the Deceased Department a good verbal beating. Words such as _'responsibility', 'bastards', and 'die'_ were flown so casually it's almost a scripted moment on Levi's part. The D.D isn't so lucky though. When there is someone angry with you and you know that that person can very well gut you in a second, the least you could do is listen quietly, or shudder. Whichever is fine as long as you don't talk back; that's life-preservation instincts kicking in.

"Ah, Rivaille." Pixis greets back, not looking to Levi as he continues to stare at the enormous set of paintings above them. Levi remains a few steps away from him and debated standing beside the commander if ever his presence is welcomed. Whatever the members of Survey Corps gossip about him, it doesn't change the fact that he can be polite, but only to those beings he respects. It's just that there is not so many of them.

They are at the Vatican City, right inside the Sistine Chapel and as to why Pixis called him here, he has an idea. This is probably going to be one those almost friendly, serious talks wherein Pixis will act like the old man he is while asking silly questions, but gives Levi a moral lesson in the end. Like he's a child. Unfortunately, Levi can't read Pixis' mind since it only works with humans.

"Humor this old man, and point out where the Creation of Adam is." Pixis says eventually. Damn, Levi is right and he has no time for art history lessons.

The paintings are huge, bright-colored and easily visible from the floor. But these are old, probably from the 1500s if Levi remembers correctly. More than 130 feet long too, and that's just only the ceiling. There are so many figures and these are mostly religious scenes from the catholic bible. Levi thinks that Pixis feel comfortable in here since it's almost as old as them. They are obviously older but then again, not many places are.

You can see that these are valuable parts of human history with the way the chapel is cleaned and guarded. Levi approves and thinks why they all can't treat everything else like that too.

Levi points at the highest section of the ceiling, at the image of a bearded old man dressed in swirling cloaks and on the lower left, a man who's completely nude.

Pixis hums in acknowledgement, silently pleased that the younger officer is a lot more cultured than Levi himself lets on.

"Most people believe that they are created in the image and likeness of God." Pixis tells him.

Levi stares at the painting, it's good that their visions are a lot better than humans and sees the details of the fresco like he's standing right in front of it. "You mean the bearded guy?" He asks.

"Ah yes, the bearded guy." The commander echoes, amused.

"I can see the resemblance." Levi comments. "Well? Are we from him too?" He asks casually, and while Levi is naturally not a talkative person, it is common knowledge that they didn't just sprout off the ground and started existing. Unlike humans who have mothers and fathers, their origins are unknown. The Survey Corps and the Deceased Department amongst other clusters that doesn't fall to the human category doesn't really have a concrete idea _how_ they happened.

But that hardly matters most of the time, because they know their purpose. They've been given tasks and as long as they have responsibilities, they don't question anything. Not even _who_ gave them the orders. In a way, that's how they differ from humans. They might all look the same, but what's inside is a completely different matter.

If possible, Pixis' focus on the painting intensifies, "There is a possibility." He says, "The Muslims have Allah. There is Buddha for the Chinese and the Father of Jesus for the Christians. These humans, they think they have different creators."

"Don't they?" Levi asks, "No one really knows for sure. Not even us. "

Pixis looks at him finally. Levi stares back and although he is shorter than the commander, he doesn't feel inferior. "That is not the point." The old man says, "The point is we shouldn't question who He is. It's enough to have faith."

Levi frowns. "I don't follow you, Commander."

"Faith is a double edged sword, Levi. Believing in something you can't see often becomes a downfall of an individual, not because he lost faith but because he believed in it blindly. I did say that it's enough to have faith, but that doesn't mean you won't do anything anymore. The course your life will take still depends on the choices you make and having faith will make that easier." He tells Levi, "It is good to have an anchor in life, to have something to hold onto when things get rough."

When Levi looks at him, there was a strange look on his face. Levi still doesn't understand him and that made Pixis heart break a little. If he explained that to a human, a human would understand somehow and that can't be faked. In the end, there are just some things words alone can't reach.

Pixis sighs. "Think of faith as barracks. During a war, whether they are injured or not, that is where soldiers fall back to. Even if it's temporary, it becomes a safe place for them."

"So humans only have faith when they are desperate?" Levi asks, frowning even deeper. For someone who can read human minds, emotions and belief are foreign topics to Levi. He can't fully understand the concept of what Pixis is trying to explain. This is one of the reasons why he thinks humans are stupid.

The commander gives him a pained expression. "Sometimes." He answers like someone shat on his drink. "Humans, by default, doesn't have faith. Life gives it to them. But they don't always take it."

Pixis' voice takes a different turn and Levi recognizes that better. Gone was the moral-lesson teaching parental voice, it is time for real business to take place. Levi straightens his stand.

"Eren Yeager was in your list during your last assignment." Pixis starts. "With Hanji Zoe, I believe."

"Yeager?" Levi asks, racking his brain about that certain mission that made him give the D.D. a verbal beating in the first place. "The Variable whose partner died?"

"Yeager's partner is not human." Pixis tells him, cutting off all the thoughts running through Levi's head. _Well, that escalated down quickly._

"With all due respect, Variables are _always_ human." Levis shots back, voice offended. "That rule is older than this damn chapel…," then after a beat. "Sir." He adds for better measure.

Pixis reached out for a file out of his jacket. The paper was folded messily, crumpled on the edges and was obviously taken out of hurry. Pixis hands it over to him. Levi takes and unfolds it with great hesitation.

"Annie Leonhardt." Pixis starts. "Human age sixteen. Permanent address unknown. Parents unknown. Goes to the school Eren Yeager used to attend although he has no known connection with him whatsoever. Never even met each other." Then in a completely monotone voice, "She's a confirmed Shifter."

The last statement made Levi's hold on the paper tighten. The photo of the blonde female on the file stares back at him, eyes blue and stoic. She has a pale complexion, hair tied at the back with her right fringe covering over the right side of her face.

"The last Shifter died during the Spanish Influenza." The commander continues. "He had a daughter who, if she survived, is supposedly ninety-eight years old right now."

Levi shakes his head "Even if they are the same person, Annie Leonhardt died last week." Levi says, "Hanji and I were there to confirm it. That's why we didn't bother with Eren Yeager anymore."

"Better remember him because you will being seeing him a lot now."

When Levi gives him a questioning look, he explains. "I want you watch over him and observe. We used to have a surveillance over one Grisha Yeager. He is Eren's father. Something about experiments and questioning origins. He is human and was brushed off by the upper management as a case of an overly-curious scientist."

Levi hands back Leonhardt's file and Pixis deposits the paper on his jacket.

"But…?" Levi prompts.

"But Grisha had resources. _Classified_ resources anyway. Let's just say that he managed to find out something big, important enough to even make our _kind_ jittery."

"We are still not clear on what the connection is between Grisha and Annie. Certainly, there is something that links them. And if there is one thing that we're sure of, the List we have is never wrong. She _and_ Eren are paired Variables. Still are."

Levi's lips thinned. "What do you mean?"

"Annie Leonhardt's body is missing. We thought we'd investigate since D.D. rarely makes a mistake, not when Petra is in-charge." He gives Levi an accusing look, and of course the commander knows what he did.

"It was their responsibility." He just grumbles.

Pixis doesn't dignify that by ignoring him. "Leonhardt died last week, yes, her body is even listed as cremated but that's just what it seemed on the papers. Someone took an effort to hide this on purpose. She's literally gone."

"So you think someone stole her body."

"That or she's still alive."

Pixis let the silence settle in and it takes time. This probably poses a greater threat than what they've previously thought. There is always a bigger picture within an already huge scheme. He heard Levi sigh.

"Is this a black operation, commander?" The name is heavy on Levi's tongue. Another thing people doesn't normally know about him is that Levi hates being undercover. He's good with it but he doesn't have to like it.

The commander nods. "We are acting outside the management. The D.D. and everyone else doesn't need to know about this yet. The Special Corps is directly under my command so you guys are the only organization involved. Can I trust you with this?"

"Of course, sir."

Pixis starts to walk out of the chapel and he's halfway out when he stopped and looked Levi over.

"Oh, and Rivaille, I told you about faith but do you know what is worse than not having faith at all?" When Levi shakes his head, Pixis' smile is strained. "Having too much."

* * *

Eren stayed in Erwin's house longer than necessary. It's been a week. Mikasa called a hundred times over, voicemails filled with a wide variety of apologies, anger and worry. He threatened her that if she ever takes a single step closer to Erwin's house, he'll never talk to her again. It is a very petty argument but it's effective.

Eren tried not to feel guilty but his mortified expression is so visible, Erwin can't help but point it out.

"Aren't you going to call them back?" He asks, trying to be casual about it. It's not like he doesn't like Eren staying with him, it's just that his vacation is almost over and he needs to return to his post. Pixis relayed a message just the other day, stating emergencies about a covert operation and that they needed Erwin _now_. When he'd read the word '_please_' written on the letter, he knew immediately that the commander is understating many things that he'd mentioned.

He knows that Pixis keeps tab on him, but the fact that he hasn't send anyone yet to fetch him means that the situation is a lot more serious than he lets on. And if he guesses correctly, Pixis will surely send Levi if he doesn't put his act together.

"Am I bothering you?" Eren says childishly. He is clearly not a morning person. "'Cause you know I could always go to a hotel if you have something else to do."

Erwin shakes his head and hands Eren the cup of coffee over the kitchen counter. "No, I don't mind. I just need to take care of a personal business today, it might take a few days so I'm thinking that, if you want, you can stay here while I'm gone."

Eren's face brightened up too quickly. "Hell yes!" He sputters, "I mean, yes, please! I promise I'll take good care of your house!"

"Alright," Erwin says, amused. "The keys are on the living room table. If I'm not back before you leave, just put it under the umbrella stand on the patio. There's already a spare under the doormat though."

After that, Erwin excused himself to pack his things. When Eren sees him off, he's only carrying a small duffel bag, and he wonders if that's enough clothes for a trip that is supposed to last for days. He keeps his opinions to himself though, excited to have the place all to himself and waves at the older man as his car droves off.

He runs back inside the moment the car was out of sight and plopped down on the enormous sofa. Erwin's house is not as big as the Yeager's mansion but with him all alone in this place, he feels liberated for the first in a long while.

There is no Mikasa, no Armin, no office work (after that fiasco during the board meeting, their PR told him to take a few days off which he greedily took and made a mental note to give the PR director a raise when he comes back), and no annoying meetings he's forced to attend. Amidst this bliss, Eren almost forgets about his mother too.

The sad thing about being alone though, is that you always tend to remember the bad things so Eren immediately cut off those thoughts and rummaged Erwin's DVD collection only to find a few German titles and the Titanic CD he gave him from last year's Christmas.

He watches the news first and sees the follow up reports on the car accident from last week. Apparently, the victim was a high school girl, her photo was blurred on the screen but Eren can make out the pale blonde hair and blue eyes. He feels a passing pang of sympathy but switches the telly's mode to Video anyway.

Between Titanic and some german film he barely understands, Eren have chosen the latter. Erwin thought him the basic words but it's still hard to keep up with full conversations spontaneously. It's only midday when he started watching and before he knew it, the sun is already low on the horizon. He lets the movie play on as he stands up and made a beeline to the kitchen. He hopes there's still a bit of that fish from yesterday's lunch or he'd have to make a run to the nearest convenience store. Erwin's fridge is just as empty as Eren's stomach.

There's no more of that fish but there's still a bit of miso soup and dumplings, both two days old. Eren is convinced that those are enough. No one really dies so fast with starvation anyway. He thinks of running to Café Roselia but Mikasa could be there and brushed off the idea instantly.

The rest of the night passed uneventfully and he managed to finish off all the german movies Erwin has in his little possession. His only worry before he sleeps is what he will do for tomorrow. For once, he's got nothing to do and nothing is expected of him. Everything else is simple and to think that when he comes back to being Eren Yeager, youngest CEO of Titan Corporation, these mundane chores will be so out of his reach again.

Sleep finds him eventually and as he lay on Erwin's bed (he doesn't mind anyway, and his bed is bigger than the sofa!), he thinks that he will definitely choose mundane over fame anytime.

Eren knew he shouldn't have declared tonight as an '_uneventful night'_ until it's officially a_ tomorrow_. It was three-thirty in the morning when he is woken up by the screeching from the gates. He blinks his eyes wearily, thoroughly conscious now after he hears the front door click open then close. Whoever the intruder is, he is familiar enough with the place and knows there's a spare key under the doormat.

He certainly _isn't_ panicking. Being the child of a wealthy family, Eren has experienced many kidnapping attempts when he was still a boy so he should get used to these things by now. But that doesn't change the fact that Eren doesn't know if the trespasser is even a kidnapper, a burglar or worse, a serial killer.

Eren tries to remain calm, maybe he's just overthinking this. He probably just forgot to lock the gate or something? And the wind blew it open… oh but he also sure he'd locked the front door so… yep, he's positively panicking right now.

Should he call the police? _Should he call Mikasa?_

Eren decides that causing a fuss is not worth it, the company has so much issues right now and if the public discovers that the would-be CEO is currently _boycotting_ his duties, he might as well dig his own grave. He thinks of how if this goes out, media will ask why is he staying at a friend's house? And that will obviously lead to more questions he'd rather not answer.

So no, Eren isn't going to call anyone. He will man-up and confront this like a real adult, serial killers be damned. He did promise Erwin that he will take care of the house. He lets go of the duvet he's been clutching for comfort and grabbed nearest blunt object he could find in the dark expanse of Erwin's bedroom.

It was the vintage alarm clock on the bedside table. Pure solid steel. _This will do_, he thinks and tiptoed to the side of the door. So when it opens, he can just bash the head of whoever it is. _That's easier said than done,_ he tells himself.

Releasing a sigh, Eren decides to focus on the sound the intruder is making. There are light footsteps. Erwin's bedroom is the farthest in the hallway, there are three doors: the guest room, the bathroom and the bedroom which is his current location.

He'd often imagined being in this situation, beating up a burglar while looking cool. Like in the movies. What absurdity. The hammering against his chest is so deafening. He literally thought his heart would jump out of his ribcage and make a run for safety. He was alone and scared in this dark room and if he's going to die tonight, he wishes for it to be quick and painless. The suspense is already killing him anyway.

The creaking of the floor echoes before the guest room door opens. Two more to go. It is like the intruder is looking for something, for _someone_. Does he know Erwin? Because this is his house in the first place. If possible, the very thought makes Eren's heart beat even faster.

The padding of feet against the floor resumes. The second door opens. There is shuffling before the intruder decides that what he's looking for isn't there and moves to checking the next and last room.

When the door opened ever so agonizingly slow, Eren felt his breath caught up and is frozen right on the spot with the steel alarm clock raised in the air. He didn't make the slightest sound and since it is so dark the intruder walked passed him, unaware of his presence (really?). Then Eren heard a small clicking sound before the room bathes in light.

Eren's green eyes made contact with an unimpressed gray pair.

The two stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Eren in mortification, mouth hanging open with his arms in the air. And the other in mild interest, an eyebrow slightly arched.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

The silence was broken as the trespasser's low voice resonated in the room.

Then suddenly, with the adrenaline finally wearing off, Eren feels how heavy the clock he's been holding above his head really is. Indeed it is so heavy that Eren loses his grip. The steel object drops and unceremoniously hits him on the head.

It is only a matter of seconds before everything blanks out and Eren also falls to the ground with a thud.

* * *

**A/N:** By the way, I did a few research and found out that Levi's surname is actually Ackerman? Is that right? I've been using Rivaille up until now and I am torn between changing it and letting it be. What do you guys think?

I've talked a bit about religions in here and I hope I didn't offend anyone's belief. I did take up theology lessons before but it's nothing major or anything. This is purely fictional, with a bit of honesty regarding Faith, I guess.

Oh and I hope you don't mind the art references. I'm pretty confident that the Creation of Adam is a popular painting. Art history is actually pretty interesting. Did you know that Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel for almost five years? Just imagine how hard that was, there was no electricity back then too. I majored in arts so it makes me happy to talk about this kind of stuff haha! Apologies.

Anyway, review please :)


	4. Four: Help Is Round the Corner

Disclaimer: I will show you the trailer of SNK live-action right _NOW_ if I own it. Like seriously.

* * *

It probably isn't a good idea to pass out right in front of a stranger who's supposed to be trespassing the house you're staying in, but Eren has a knock of breaking the norms and doing the exact opposite of normal.

The room is bright when he woke up against the narrow surface of the sofa. On how the hell did he get in there, Eren haven't got any clue. He's still on the process of figuring that out although the massive headache that came with waking up is distracting him from doing so. His eyes are so tired and his lips are dry with thirst. His head hurt like he's been run over by a truck and the persistent ray of sunlight hitting his eyes did nothing to appease his distress.

He doesn't get up even after a few minutes have passed by, mind still in disarray from oversleeping. Irritated by the light that won't leave his face alone, he turned to his side thinking that it would make him feel much comfortable. Of course, Eren is wrong. When he finally got the strength to fully open his eyes, he is met by a shock of unfamiliar black hair right in front of him. That is more than enough to get him scampering out of the sofa and falling into the floor.

The noise he caused got a reaction out of the owner of the said raven hair and there is a groan before Eren could get off the floor.

"'Fucking hate babysitting..." Said a voice, and Eren has to blink twice to process the words into his mind.

The stranger stands up from where he's been previously sitting, which is also the floor. It would seem that he's been leaning his back against the sofa from there. But when you are in Eren's situation, that should be the least of your problem.

Then he feels a pair of eyes focused on him and looks up to find the stranger looking down at him, shadow looming over his ruffled figure. Memories hit him like a wild canon and remembered what happened last night.

"I─" He starts and wonders why he felt the need to explain himself when he's not the one who trespassed in the first place. He is obviously the victim in here, and that's putting it mildly.

The stranger raises a brow at his attempt to talk and has a look of genuine bewilderment you won't normally see on a grown-up's face. Though distracted, Eren finds himself reaching out for the television's remote thinking that if he can't fight by hand he should at least have _something_ to hit this man with if he tries anything on him. _Even if it's the goddamn tv remote_.

He's been taught at a young age to defend himself when situations like this happen, although what he did last night was certainly one of the lamest self-defense attempt ever done in history.

That was enough to bruise his ego as a man but Eren is not easily deterred when it comes to his own safety.

His right hand crawled behind his back to the remote without breaking eye contact to the raven-haired man. He probably though he is being subtle but the stranger thinks otherwise.

"Don't you think it's a little too late for that?" He pointedly asked Eren with a bored expression on his face. "After all, if I really wanted to hurt you, I would have done it while you're unconscious." He fixes Eren another look. "But here you are."

It shouldn't have made sense because Eren feels nothing but panic at moment. Faced with this unknown man who might as well be a criminal, all he can do is doubt. Who trusts a stranger but naïve idiots? But as the stranger also said, here he is, _awake and alive and breathing._

He finds his voice at last. "I don't know. Maybe you're planning something."

The man scoffs at him. "Yeah well, _probably_. What do you think?" His tone is mocking, as if Eren is asking stupid questions. Levi thinks he is.

"You can't really expect me to believe you."

"Whatever you say." The stranger says to him, exasperated. He looks around the living room as if to drop the conversation but his face displays genuine disgust when he says "_Sina_, this whole place needs to be cleaned." Then, "Look at the dust on that shelf. Bastard didn't even know what proper hygiene means." He proceeds to remove his coat, and starts rolling up his sleeves. All this while, Eren is just staring, helpless as to what the hell is wrong with this guy.

Because seriously, cleaning Erwin's place is the last thing on his mind.

"Well? Get your ass over here and bring out the vacuum or whatever shit you have."

Strangely enough, Eren interpreted the 'shit' as cleaning utensils. When he looks at the man, and sees him frowning at a dusty spot in the window like it personally offended him, Eren feels his guard drop. And that's it. Somehow, he just feels domestic and seeing such a human side from this stranger has helped put a face on his mind. Like he's not a faceless man anymore and just an OCD freak whose both short in temper and height.

Giving him a character makes it easy for Eren to suddenly act casual around him. It's not trusting per se, but just a polite sense of socialization.

He pretended not to notice the long look the man gave him as he gathered the said necessities from the kitchen cabinets. When he comes back with the box of requested items, he looks at the man straight in the eye. They have a hard and serious look on them.

And now that he is standing, he can tower over the man but that doesn't mean he feels superior or anything similar to that sentiment. It is actually the other way around.

"What's your name?" He asks, not sure if this strange man will answer.

Eren thought he wouldn't reply and just as he is about to dismiss the rudeness, the stranger answers, "Levi."

"Okay... You're a friend of Erwin?" He asks, because if he's not a criminal why else would he break in?

Levi scoffs. "Sort of."

Eren nods, content. "Well, can't say it's nice to meet you though."

"Sure, the feeling is mutual anyway."

They ended up cleaning not just the living but the entire house. He discovers soon enough that calling Levi an OCD freak is the ultimate understatement and never again would he submit himself so willingly in Levi's housework whims. It is by far the strangest thing Eren had ever done in his life, if not the most exhausting.

They both collapsed on the sofa after putting the cleaning stuff away. Eren is obviously worn out unlike Levi who is just calmly rolling down his sleeves, his shirt still impeccable white even after so much scrubbing. How he did that is beyond Eren and he's really not interested in finding out how. He just feels thirsty and hungry at the moment and he thinks of Café Roselia unconsciously, stomach growling with profound hunger.

"Uhm, did we miss lunch?" He asks dumbly because he knows they did already but can't help but ask anyway.

"And breakfast." Levi answers him, tone back at monotone. He sits so straight and stiff and Eren feels uncomfortable for him.

He didn't mean to ask but his mouth opened before he can catch the words he's saying "Wanna grab something to eat?"

Levi looks like he's about to refuse but nods in the end. "Your treat." He tells Eren, voice expecting no objections. He lends Levi clothes from Erwin's dresser (selecting the smallest size he could find) and after showering, they head out to the café. The slacks are a tad too big on Levi so he had to roll up the ends. Luckily, there is a shirt small enough to fit the smaller man. Eren actually thinks it is Levi's in the first place.

Roselia is just a few blocks away from Erwin's place so they've decided to walk. The streets on this part of the town is silent during the afternoon and although the sun is beating down the pavement, the wind is cool enough to compensate for the heat.

On the way there, Levi tells him, although a bit reluctantly at first, that he and Erwin used to be classmates during high school and college, hence the familiarity with Erwin's place. He also told Eren that he'd always crash at Erwin's place during ungodly hours, making Erwin panic in the same way Eren did the previous night, so Eren's suspicion of him of being a criminal is not totally unfounded. Levi crashes at his place so often that Erwin just ignores him sometimes and let him break in.

"He should have given me a memo at least." Says Eren. Levi didn't say anything after that so Eren thought he agreed too.

Expectedly, the café isn't crowded when they've arrived.

"This is where you _always_ eat?" Levi asks him, staring at the café's sign with a poorly-kept annoyance. "_Café Roselia?_"

"Yeah." Eren tells him, oblivious to Levi's frustration. He casually open the door, waving to Krista on the counter and asking if they've still got lunch meals on the menu.

_"__I'm gonna fucking kill you, Erwin." _Levi thinks to himself as he grudgingly steps inside too. "_I swear to god._"

Eren is already ordering so Levi just shoots the café's staff murdering glares as he settled himself on an empty table at a corner. Ymir shots him a glare back although there is amusement in there. Krista gives him an apologetic nod before turning her attention back to Eren.

However, dealing with Sasha Blouse's mortified expression is another matter altogether.

"C-captain Rivaille, sir!" A trembling voice loudly greets him, loud enough that even Eren, looks at them weirdly. It is probably an odd sight. The usually energetic and cheerful Sasha saluting in front of a shabby dressed Levi. Tchaikovsky is playing in the background and everything about that scene is just _wrong_. Or so Eren thinks.

Levi fights the urge to snap at Sasha and just sends a message though his mind _"So this is where Pixis sent all of you."_ He projects to her lowly.

Sasha is about to reply when Levi cuts him off. _"Not that it matters now. I presume you are undercover as well?"_

The younger officer nods frantically and when they both see Eren going towards them, they immediately stopped the communication.

"You knew each other?" Eren asks obliviously.

"E-eh?" Sasha gapes like a fish and mumbles. "Well, it is…"

It is completely out of her character that Eren wants to help her. "You called him _captain_, didn't you?"

The girl smiles warily. "O-oh. Did I? Ahaha... That's just─"

Fed up with the mumbling, Levi intervenes, "I was her probation officer. In our group, the officers are called captains. It's doesn't mean anything."

If anything, Eren becomes more surprised. "Probation?" He looks at Sasha, blinking. "You? On probation? Really?" Like he can't believe it. Sasha doesn't really look like someone who causes trouble.

Sasha stares at Levi dumbly until _"Just say yes, dammit." _The captain tells her telepathically.

The girl startles at the command. "Ah! Yes, yes! I used t-to be a misfit back then… I guess. But not anymore! Ha ha ha!"

Eren takes one unbelieving look at her but decides to let the topic go. Sasha looks bothered enough as it is. He focuses his attention on Levi instead. "You're _actually_ a probation officer?"

"Is that a compliment?" Levi asks him dryly, shooting Sasha a _go-away_ look. Eren doesn't notice Sasha leave and the girl is more than happy to comply his officer's order. She almost tripped on the way to the kitchen (to hide until Levi leaves) and Ymir sends her an exasperated stare, probably torn in between scolding her or pitying her.

"No, I mean, yes! I mean…" Eren stumbles over the words, "You do look like a disciplinarian." A _tyrant_, he doesn't say out loud but Levi hears it anyway. The older man grunts in acknowledgement. He doesn't deny his tendency to be strict over everything because he believe in the order of things. Sometimes, you just need to be harsh in order to have peace.

"I hope you don't mind pasta. I ordered pesto for you. You just seem like the type to like that. No allergies I hope." Eren says mildly after a while and Levi appreciates the sentiment even if the unabashed kindness given sort of repels him. From what he had observed so far, Eren is a very trusting person and that is going to put him in danger in the long run. He is not stupid no matter how he acts and holds a much deeper character inside of him despite his carefree attitude.

Another contrary to the popular belief, Levi does not always read minds. He can avoid it but even if he wants to block all thoughts around him completely, it is impossible. The voices will always be there, just muted. One of the reasons he likes high places is also that. Up there, thoughts are not as loud and intruding. The less people around, the more peaceful Levi's mind becomes.

Every now and then he feels aura of matched Variables, and if he concentrate enough he can pinpoint their exact location. But playing cupid is not his job right now. Eren Yeager is his agenda at the moment and he focuses on that.

Their food arrived and was served by Ymir. The girl sends Levi a message through her mind because she knows Levi can hear him anyway.

_"__It's not my business but you shouldn't be so hard on Sasha. She's been here longer than us, and she certainly knows Yeager better than you do."_

_"__What are you trying to say?"_

_"__Don't act like you're alone on this mission, Captain Rivaille."_

_"…__I'm aware of what a _**_team _**_means, officer."_

Eren, oblivious to their conversation, thanks Ymir and as soon as the plates were served he starts eating like he was starved for a week. Levi looks at him in disgust and furrows his brows deeply at the sauce on the corner of Eren's mouth. His fingers itch to wipe it _clean_ but he dismissed the idea fast.

Finally noticing that Levi haven't touch his food yet and is giving him a appalled look, Eren grins apologetically and says "Sorry, I'm famished."

"Clearly." Levi replies but starts to pick on his food with mild interest. Even if he eats it, he can't taste it anyway.

They eat in uneventful silence and head home after paying the bill. Levi didn't even bother asking if he should pay too and just let Eren take care of it. All the while, Sasha hid in the kitchen with Connie throwing Eren and Levi's table weird looks. Krista was just polite and even if she knows that Levi is with Eren, she still bid them a safe travel when they left.

"So," Eren starts, "what should we do next?"

Levi shrugs, like he has to do anything else but watch over the boy anyway. Pixis never told him to watch Eren from afar and Levi thought being near will be more beneficial. Besides, it's not like he will be friends with Eren or anything. He's just there for the sake of _being there_.

"Like what?"

"Like, oh, I don't know, watch something?" Says Eren, he appears nervous when he asks this, even if his self confidence remains outstanding.

"Hn." Levi simply grunted which Eren probably took as a yes since he has that contented smile on pasted on his face when he glanced over Levi's direction. Like Levi being grumpy like that is normal even if he doesn't know anything about him in the first place. And between having to endure pointless attempt to have a small talk because of boredom and watching a movie in silence, Levi thinks pretending to pay attention to a story with moving pictures is easier.

This mission is every bit mundane. Without having to think of fighting strategies and contingency plans, it doesn't feel like it should be taken seriously, but Levi knows this is just the calm before the storm. A bit of mundane is good, sometimes.

Eren thinks, aside from the occasional visit to Roselia with Mikasa and Armin, this is the closest thing he got to hanging out like a normal teenager. He would overlook the fact that he's spending it with an OCD freak he barely knew. Levi's a bit on the irritable side, as if he's mad at the world in general, never mind that permanent scowl he's brandishing every now and then. Still, it's a comfort to have another presence with you without knowing who you really are too.

When Eren inserted the Titanic CD on the player, he was surprised that Levi didn't comment. He'd expected him to give a sarcastic remark because two grown men watching drama and romance together isn't really that common these days. But no, Levi, remained silent on his seat, back rigid and eyes _never_ leaving the screen that Eren was beginning to get worried he's so bored to death he turned catatonic.

There is a debate on what they should watch to past time and since Eren had watched everything else on Erwin's collection aside from the said movie, they've got no choice but to settle with the classic.

Levi can feel Eren looking at him from the side and wondered why he is doing that exactly. He believed he's watching the movie like how a normal person would and it is starting to irk him.

"Uhm, I can sleep in Erwin's room, so the guest room's free for you." Eren says the moment the credit started rolling. "Well, you know that already didn't you?"

The next morning is a lot more _eventful_ than yesterday with the way the doorbell is ringing and there is a continuous banging from the front door. Eren contemplated ignoring it, because clearly that visitor has to be so very rude to disrupt someone's house so early in the morning, but then this is not really his home so he groggily got up and made his way to get whoever is abusing the door.

"Yeah, yeah, wait a sec!" He says. He is scratching his stomach underneath his shirt when he opens the door, totally uncaring of his disheveled appearance.

There is a terrible beat of silence when he realized who it is on the other side of the door.

"Eren, we are going home right now." You can tell Mikasa is very mad with the dangerous tone of her voice. The girl snatches his wrist so fast and pulled him towards the black car waiting outside the house. A few neighbors have their heads out of their windows, curtains drawn to the side to watch the show Mikasa is so willing to provide. Eren is sure they've been woken up because of the insistent banging earlier. He fought off a wince when they got far out of the porch and he's still barefoot.

"Wait, Mikasa!" Eren starts, and even if he's still angry at her too, he can't bring himself to blame her for brash her actions. He did ignored them for days and honestly he is surprised it took them almost a week to get him back.

"Please unhand him."

On a normal day, that tone of voice is not something Eren would to be directed at him but at this moment, he couldn't be more thankful of the distraction it brought upon his current situation. Mikasa's hold on his wrists momentarily loosens only to tighten again when she sees who spoke.

"This is none of your concern." Mikasa says, seethes, as he directed her glare on Levi who standing just outside of the gate, a bag of groceries, _huh_, on his right hand while the other holds what suspiciously looks like a box of _puppies, _if those pointed ears peeking out of the carton are any indication.

Levi doesn't say anything right then, and just walks towards the front door. He stops in front of Eren and Mikasa, as if to observe the situation. His eyes falls upon Eren's bare feet and scowls.

"You're going to dirty the floor. Make sure you wash _those_ before going in." He tells him and dumps the box of _puppies (_Eren still could believe it, _where_ did even Levi got them) to his available hand. He immediately hugs it to his chest and yes, there are indeed _three_ puppies in the box. White, black and brown. They are strangely being quiet as if sensing the tense atmosphere. Eren can sympathize.

"It became my concern when you trespassed my friend's property and attempted to kidnap a teenager I happened to be acquainted with." He raises a brow at Mikasa while the girl glares at him harder. "You look like a minor, are you sure in a place to threaten me?"

"This is a family matter." Mikasa snaps at him, "Please stay out of it."

"Not when he doesn't want to come with you." Levi shots Eren a look.

"Eren." Mikasa says but lets go of Eren's wrist now. "Who the _hell_ is this?" Mikasa rarely cursed but when she does, Eren usually just stays silent.

As if to strengthen his resolve, Eren clutched the box on his arms tighter.

"I'm sorry, Mikasa." Eren starts, "His name is Levi, a friend of Erwin. He's staying here for a while too."

"I see. " She says, eyeing Levi warily.

"Well you can't run away from us forever." Mikasa tells him eventually, probably after cataloging everything about Levi's face and planning a background check on him already. Eren winced at the accusation but he can't help it, he's not ready to open the case of Grisha Yeager yet. Not to them. He knows it's a selfish request.

"I'd come back. Just not now, Mikasa. But I promise to be safe." Eren says, stepping closer to Levi's side. If possible Mikasa's scowl deepens. "You don't have to worry about me all the time. I…" He falters, "I'm not angry anymore with you and Armin anyway, I just want to be alone for a bit longer."

."I don't trust him." Mikasa accuses, referring to Levi. Because of course, she knows Erwin's away. There are only few things she doesn't know.

"You don't have to." Levi says, not helping at all. He knows what Mikasa is thinking and he doesn't care. However, Levi is impressed with the amount of loyalty she has with the Yeager family. It almost earns his respect. Almost.

Eren surprises both of them with his reply though. "I do."

Mikasa remains silent after that. For the first time in a while, she looks at Eren, really _looks_ at him and sees that his eyes doesn't look so tired and his posture's not so stiff. His edges are relaxed and his face lost that wary paranoia he tries so hard to hide when he thinks no one else is looking. He looks healthy, happy even, if not a little humiliated but that's probably her fault.

She sighs and Eren knows he's won.

"Thank you, Mikasa." He tells her and smiles. Mikasa misses it when she turns to Levi.

"I'd be back in a week." She tells him, a warning on her voice, like Levi will be held responsible and that she will raise hell to break him if _anything_ bad happens to Eren. Levi knows better than anyone else that she might do just that. For a human, Mikasa isn't easily broken. He has a feeling Pixis will like her and would probably recruit her after she dies.

Eren watches the black car leave, almost in daze, until he feels the box squirming in his arms. Levi just walked past him with the bag of groceries on his hand. Eren follows him inside eventually, not before he cleaned his feet though. He places the box on floor in the living room and feels ridiculously giddy by watching the three new puppies trying to get out of the box with their tiny pudgy legs, little waggling tails and bouncing floppy ears. He's feels really happy just now, and it's definitely not because he get to have another week by himself. He's sure Mikasa can take care of the board better than him anyway.

"Hey Levi," he says, still watching the puppies on the floor, "thanks for earlier." He fancies the black one looks a little like Levi. It is now watching his siblings from the side of the box, had long given up on escaping and is now just looking bored already with their hopeless attempt to escape the box, because seriously, can't they see that it's twice their height? He looks grouchy. Eren fights off a laugh.

"I didn't do anything." Levi tells him from the kitchen, sorting out the groceries. If he has to keep watching over Eren as a human, he should start acting like one. He woke up while Eren's still asleep and remembers that most human have breakfast in the morning. He doesn't know how to cook, but that doesn't me he wouldn't make an attempt.

Turns out the cupboard and refrigerator were empty so he'd decided to steal from Erwin's stash of money under the sink the commander had conveniently told him in case there is an emergency in the human realm which forces him to stay. Funnily enough, breakfast is one of those.

He is familiar enough with the town that he can easily navigate his way through the streets without asking for directions. On the way back though, he encounters a strange situation.

"That is not true. But thanks either way." Eren tells him after scooping up the brown puppy to his hands, he stares at its green eyes and pets it softly. The puppy leans in to the touch excitedly and his siblings back in the box are definitely _not_ jealous. "Where did you get them anyway?" He asks the inevitable, because surely, they must have come _somewhere_.

Levi doesn't answer right away and just when Eren's sure that he will be ignored again, Levi muttered.

"What?" Eren ask, not hearing it properly. "Please speak louder."

"I said I got them from the streets. The box was about to get run over by a car so I snatched it up quickly. I didn't know there were puppies inside…" Well that's not really the entire truth. Normal people wouldn't even bother to look at the box but a person with telepathy would sense that there was something _alive_ inside the box, and Levi just couldn't identify it. By the time he'd rescued the box, the puppies had already grown strangely attached to him (much to LEvi's dismay) and cried loudly when he attempted to leave them on the (safer) side of the street. He told himself it isn't pity, but he ended up bringing them back with him.

It seems like Eren has grown attached to the little monstrosities anyway so he figured he'd just have him take care of them. Either way, he would end up not seeing them again when his mission is complete.

"So you… rescued them?" Eren's voice is full of awe, eyes wide and round as he looks at Levi, still holding the brown-fur and green-eyed puppy on his hands. Levi thinks the two of them disturbingly looks like each other, both looks stupid too.

"I told you I didn't know they were _puppies_." He says the last word sickeningly.

But Eren is not listening to him anymore and keeps on looking at him the entire day like he's a saint or something equally _kind_, like he's even capable of _kindness_.

"Cut that out. It's a _disgrace_ to be _worshiped_ by a brat like you."

If a black op mission means he has to babysit an overgrown teenager with daddy-issues, fending off an overprotective sister and adopting puppies along the way, then he might just told Pixis to fuck off when he had the chance, humanity be damned.

* * *

**A/N:** No, seriously, I really love Titanic. I cried over Dicaprio.


End file.
